- Hyundai Motor kick-starts its sponsorship program as the official partner of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ with a vehicle handover ceremony - A wide range of 302 Hyundai vehicles to be provided for transport of officials and VIPs during FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013

May 30, 2013 – Hyundai Motor Company, the official automotive partner of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, today kicked off the countdown to the world's biggest sporting event by holding a handover ceremony for the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013 at Estádio Nacional in Brasília, Brazil, attended by VIPs including FIFA officials and company executives.

As the FIFA Confederations Cup, customarily held in the FIFA World Cup host nation a year before the FIFA World Cup, is widely viewed as a test run of facilities and management, it will provide a great stage for Hyundai to prove itself as a dependable ground transportation supplier by offering a fleet of 302 vehicles including its multi-award winning Brazil-exclusive HB20 models, during the event.

“The vehicle handover is a vital part of the preparation for the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013 and we are pleased to have such a globally recognized automotive brand provide us with stylish, reliable and comfortable vehicles to safely transport our FIFA officials, VIPs and others,” said Jay Neuhaus, Head of FIFA Marketing Brazil.

Scheduled to open on June 15, the two-week tournament will take place in six Brazilian cities: Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, Fortaleza, Belo Horizonte, Salvador and Recife. Winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships, along with the previous FIFA World Cup winner and the host country, are eligible for the competition. This year, a total of eight national teams from Brazil, Spain, Italy, Uruguay, Japan, Tahiti, Mexico and Nigeria will compete for the trophy.

“Hyundai sees football sponsorship as a core element of its marketing strategy, playing a vital role in connecting global customers to our brand,” said William Lee, president of Hyundai Motor Brasil. “We will help make the Brazilian World Cup and Confederations Cup the most spectacular ones in football history as we are deeply committed to Brazil, home to our most modern manufacturing plant that produces the HB20, our model exclusively developed for Brazilian customers.”

Aside from providing the vehicles, Hyundai will launch a variety of marketing programs related to the event: Along with fellow FIFA Commercial Affiliates, Hyundai will host massive public viewing events of the tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Belo Horizonte, offering Brazil’s enthusiastic football fans an opportunity to share their passion and have a memorable viewing experience.

In addition, a series of promotional films will be launched online. Fans will be able to see famous football players acting in these films, while getting a glimpse of the host cities of the tournament along with the fabulous Hyundai HB20, the hero car of the tournament. Hyundai also offered customers a chance to win tickets to the matches and will distribute gifts and promote entertainment during the games in Brazil.

Since Hyundai signed the agreement to sponsor FIFA competitions including the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™ in 1999, Hyundai has successfully served as the official automotive partner of 2002, 2006, 2010 FIFA World Cups as well as many other FIFA tournaments including the FIFA Confederations Cup. In 2010, the company extended its strategic sponsorship agreement with FIFA to cover the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups. Through its successful sponsorship of international football, Hyundai has significantly boosted brand awareness and brand image.

About Hyundai Motor Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Co. has grown into the Hyundai Motor Group, with more than two dozen auto-related subsidiaries and affiliates. Hyundai Motor - which has seven manufacturing bases outside of South Korea including Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, India, Russia, Turkey and the U.S. - sold 4.4 million vehicles globally in 2012. Hyundai Motor, which employs over 90,000 worldwide, offers a full line-up of products including small to large passenger vehicles, SUVs and commercial vehicles. Further information about Hyundai Motor and its products is available at http://worldwide.hyundai.com and www.hyundaiglobalnews.com.